News Release

Ontario Celebrates Retailers who Promote Local Food

Province honours winners of the 2018 Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards

KITCHENER - Today, Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, joined by Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike Harris, presented Sobeys #685 in Kitchener with two Foodland Retailer Awards for its outstanding displays to promote Ontario local food. In the coming weeks, Minister Hardeman and local MPPs will present the 2018 Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards to winning stores across the province.

"Many congratulations to Sobeys in Kitchener for creating award-winning displays to showcase Ontario's fresh and delicious fruits and vegetables," said Minister Hardeman. "Taking pride in building creative and innovative displays to showcase fresh Ontario foods supports our hardworking farmers by encouraging shoppers to take home the many good things that grow in Ontario."

"We all have a part to play in supporting our hardworking farmers and I'm so glad to see the amazing work done by Sobeys here in Kitchener for their beautiful displays of Ontario fruits and vegetables," said Mike Harris, MPP for Kitchener-Conestoga. "I want to thank everyone at this Sobeys and at grocery stores across the province for helping to promote our important agricultural sector."

"At Sobeys, proudly supporting local producers and processors has been part of our DNA for more than 112 years," said Yan Branco, Vice President Produce Merchandising at Sobeys. "Year after year, we are so pleased to partner with Foodland Ontario growers and share the bounty from local community farms in our stores across this great province."

The annual Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards are the produce industry's premier competition for excellence in retail display and promotion in support of local Ontario foods. Retailers enter seasonal display contests that run from mid-April to November.

Quick Facts

In 2018, over 4,250 entries were submitted with almost 6,000 photos of compelling displays featuring fresh Ontario produce.

Ontario has one of the most diverse agri-food industries in Canada, producing more than 200 commodities, such as greenhouse tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, asparagus, berries, tender fruit, and apples.

For more than 40 years, Foodland Ontario has connected with families on how to recognize, prepare and enjoy locally grown foods.

This year, for the first time ever, consumers can decide which store created the best display promoting local Ontario food as part of the Consumers’ Choice Contests.

To know when all your local fruits and vegetables are in season, visit Foodland Ontario’s Availability Guide.